Masonry Contractor in Redondo Beach - Brick, Block and Stone Work Done Right
Custom Hawthorne Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor based in Hawthorne that works in Redondo Beach, repairing brick and chimneys, building block and retaining walls, and laying pavers, walkways and stone for homeowners.
I learned masonry on other people's crews before starting this business in Hawthorne, and now our crew works in Redondo Beach too. Most calls are about crumbling joints, a leaky chimney or a wall that's starting to lean. We're best known for careful brick repair and solid block walls, and we do the slow prep first, because nice plating doesn't save a bad meal.
- Prep first, then the trowel
- Covered site, cleaned as we go
- Final walk-through with you
Masonry on Redondo Beach homes
When an older brick wall or chimney has crumbling joints, we cut out the loose mortar and repack it with a mix that suits the brick, because hard mortar on soft brick cracks the brick instead of the joint. When a block wall has started to lean, we look at what's pushing on it before we talk about a rebuild, since a new wall in the same spot will lean the same way.
Part of the city, the Original Townsite, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with 44 residential buildings in it. If your house is one of them or just as old, we match the brick and the mortar color as closely as we can, so the repair looks like part of the wall.
Masonry services in Redondo Beach
Pick the job you're looking at in Redondo Beach to see what it involves, what usually goes wrong and how our crew handles it.
Foundation repair
Where a foundation has cracked or settled, we find the cause first, then repair the concrete or block.
Chimney repair
For a leaky or crumbling chimney, we repoint the joints, relay loose brick and fix the crown on top.
Tuckpointing
Old mortar raked out and new mortar packed in, colored to match so the wall reads as one piece.
Brick repair
Cracked or flaking bricks cut out and replaced with the closest match we can find, one at a time.
Driveway pavers
A paver driveway laid on a packed gravel base, so the pavers stay flat under the weight of your car.
Retaining wall construction
When a slope crowds the yard, we build a wall with drainage behind it to keep water from pushing it.
Masonry restoration
Older brick and stone brought back with cleaning, repointing and repairs that match what's already there.
Fireplace installation
A new brick or stone fireplace, indoors or on the patio, built around a firebox that draws right.
Stone veneer installation
Thin stone set over a wall, column or fireplace, on a prepped backing so it stays on the wall.
Concrete block walls
Solid block walls for privacy or a property line, with steel and grout in the cells where the wall needs it.
Foundation block wall installation
Block foundation walls set on a proper footing, the concrete strip underneath that carries the weight.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
Brick, block or stone bases for a grill and counters, laid out the way a cook actually works.
Walkway construction
A brick, paver or stone path from the street to your door, sloped so rain runs off.
Brick wall installation
New brick walls for a garden, a front yard or a property line, built on a footing sized for the height.
Stone masonry
Natural stone walls, steps and borders, each stone fitted by hand instead of forced into place.
Brick pointing
Worn joints on brick walls or steps repointed before water gets in and starts loosening the bricks.
Serving Redondo Beach from Hawthorne
Before you start a Redondo Beach project
The price turns on what's behind the problem as much as the problem itself, along with the size of the job, the material you pick and how much old work has to come out first. The schedule turns on permits, inspections and how much prep the site needs. I look at it in person, and you get the price in writing.
Some jobs need more than a building permit, with sign-off from Planning, Engineering or the city's fire department depending on scope, and you can check whether your project needs a Planning permit on the city's site. If yours needs a permit, I'll tell you at the estimate, and we start once it's in hand.
- Exactly what's in the job, and what waits for later.
- Brick, block or stone, and how close a color match you want.
- Where gutter and downspout water goes once the wall is up.
- Whether a permit applies, settled at the estimate before we start.
How a Redondo Beach job runs
I come out and look
You call, and I come out to look at the job and what's around it, like gutters, downspouts and how your yard drains.
Written estimate and permits
You get a written estimate. If a permit applies, we get it from the city first and book inspections so they happen before anything gets covered.
The work and walk-through
We prep, cover and clean as we go, working within the city's hours, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, 9 to 5 Saturdays. Then I walk it with you.
Redondo Beach masonry questions
Can I pull my own permit for a big masonry project in Redondo Beach?
Not if the project is valued at more than $50,000 or involves two or more units, because the city doesn't let homeowners pull the permit on those. The city's Building Division issues private property permits and handles inspections, at (310) 318-0636. On our jobs, we take care of the permit with the city.
Does a contractor need a city business license to work in Redondo Beach?
Yes, the city requires every business working in Redondo Beach to hold a city business license, and every contractor and subcontractor needs one before a permit can be issued. Contractors based outside the city apply for its out-of-city contractor license. It's fair to ask anyone you're considering whether theirs is current.
When does a masonry contractor need a California state license?
Under the state's Contractors State License Board, a license applies when the job needs a building permit, uses employee labor, or costs $1,000 or more in labor and materials across one or more contracts. A bigger job can't be split into pieces under $1,000 to get around it. We're licensed and insured.
Can I do masonry work on my own house in Redondo Beach without a license?
Only if you meet every condition of the state's owner-builder exemption. It has to be your main residence, the work is done before any sale, you lived there for the 12 months before it's finished, and you've used the exemption on no more than two structures in any three-year period. If that doesn't fit, call us at (424) 307-8119.
Tell us about your masonry job
Tell us what you're seeing and where, or call (424) 307-8119. We reply within one business day to set up a free on-site estimate, with no obligation.
Call (424) 307-8119